Despite the loud voice of the National Rifle Association (NRA), scholars, experts on school safety, and teachers overwhelmingly disagree with turning schools into armed camps rather than places of nonviolent positive learning.

The children that were lost in Newtown were our children. The children that are lost to gun violence in neighborhoods throughout America are our children. And the lives that we can save tomorrow are our children's lives.

House Education Panel On School Safety On Wednesday, members of the House Education & Workforce Committee mulled over ways to keep schools safe in light of the horrific Newtown, Conn. elementary school shooting, reports Politics K-12. Witnesses told the committee that "school resource officers, additional guidance counselors, and professional development for educators can help schools head off tragedies," the blog reports. But there was next to no conversation about gun control. Hmmm.

It was, in a sense, so expectable, so leave-no-child-behind. I'm talking about the arming of American schools. Think of it as the next step in the militarization of this country, which follows all-too-logically from developments since September 11, 2001.

It seems grotesque that the horrific slaughter of those 20 children in Newtown, Connecticut, will result in more children getting traumatized, but that's exactly where we're headed -- with firm bipartisan support.

Those four years flew by, and they had their share of joy, and angst, and heartache, and incredible new opportunities and friends. Each person has to make her own way; here is my humble offering of advice to young women starting their own journeys.

Arne Duncan said that the proposal on gun control had created one of his proudest moments while serving in this administration. Curbing school violence, he told us, is among his top priorities for the next four years. Somehow I think it's doubtful that these are the kinds of efforts he has in mind.

It is now time to re-evaluate our education policy, starting with the voice, tools, and support that we provide for our school leaders, the principals and administrators responsible for overseeing the scholastic performance and physical operations of our schools.

It's back to school for Congress.
Today, Rep. John Kline (R-Minn.), chair of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, held his first organizational meeting with the 113th Congress's iteration of his committee. In his opening remarks, Kline said reauthorizing No Child Left Behind will remain a "top priority." NCLB, the sweeping law that governs public K-12 education, expired in 2007.